Survival
by Caz251
Summary: Narcissa makes plans and carries them out to remove herself from Lucius and the war.


AN: Written for Juliet316's prompt Author's choice, author's choice, gunpowder and lead at fic promptly

Narcissa Malfoy knew that the time had come, she had to make her break for freedom now, before her life became any more entwined with the Dark Lord. Her husband was deep in the Dark Lord's circle and so was her elder sister Bellatrix, but Narcissa had managed so far to keep herself to the sidelines, never taking the mark of the monster, but giving her support.

Her support had gotten her nowhere though, the Dark Lord would never share power, not with her husband at least, and the more out of favour Lucius became the harder he was to live with. She knew that he was feeling like he was a failure, but that didn't give him the right to treat her the way he had been, she wanted out before her life got any worse.

Lucius had always thought that he had the upper hand in their marriage, she was the youngest and most petite of the Black sisters and was often seen as niave because of that, but really she was just biding her time. She was not as fanatic as her eldest sister Bellatrix, nor was she a muggle lover like her elder sister Andromeda, she was a true Slytherin she was only concerned with her own survival. Her survival had been her top priority so when she was younger she had soaked up as much knowledge as she could. She had let Bellatrix teach her all sorts of dark and illegal curses, and had learnt about the mysteries of the muggle things gunpowder and lead from Andromeda and her muggleborn boyfriend.

Narcissa would never admit to anyone that she enjoyed the feel of a shotgun in her hand, she doubted they would believe her if she did. In a way it made things better, no-one would ever think to connect her to what was going to happen, it wouldn't even cross their minds. Her plan of attack was simple, and should never be connected to her.

Narcissa knew from her sister that Lucius would be home within the next few hours, the Dark Lord had liberated his followers from Azkaban earlier that day when everyone else was concerned about the children returning to Hogwarts. Draco was at the school, out of the way and safe, or as safe as he could be whilst trying to assassinate the Headmaster. All Narcissa had to do was lie in wait for her darling husband to return, and then she could begin to make her attempt for freedom.

When Lucius returned it was obvious to Narcissa that the Dark Lord had tortured him, the tremors running through his body from the cruciatus curse were a dead giveaway. When she mentioned this Lucius he backhanded her, shocking Narcissa to the core. While Lucius had become harder to live with physical violence was not his normal method of aggression; he was normally more likely to curse her with something that would leave no marks.

His actions only strengthened her resolve, she called his name to get his attention while she pulled out the small gun she had hidden on her person. She had gone to a lot of trouble to get a small concealable weapon, she would have been much more comfortable with a shotgun, it was what she had learnt to shoot with after all; but it would have been counterproductive to her subterfuge.

She smiled at Lucius, a cold frigid smile, as he turned to face her and the barrel of her small revolver. She pulled the trigger. Watching Lucius fall was like a weight lifting from her back, the fact that he knocked a priceless vase over on his way to the ground was satisfying; he had always cared more for the Malfoy heirlooms than he had her.

Retreating to her room she hid her weapon before heading back downstairs to discover the body after hearing the crash. After running a diagnostic charm she would contact the aurors, informing them that her husband had turned up at the manor when he should be in prison and that someone had killed him. They would question her, but no-one would ever believe she had done it, not when they realised that Lucius was killed with a muggle weapon. She would be free of Lucius once and for all.

Draco would have to be pulled out of school, for a short while at least, appearances must be kept, and funeral arrangements would have to be made. Once the funeral was over however she would convince Draco that it was time to leave. Instead of him returning to Hogwarts they would leave for France, sealing Malfoy Manor, and escaping the war and the Dark Lord. If it meant that Severus had to step in and kill Dumbledore on Draco's behalf, well he should never have allowed her to trick him into such an unbreakable vow. She was a Slytherin, her survival and that of her son were the only things that mattered.


End file.
